Bucs rookie DT Brian Price signs four-year deal

The Bucs made some headway on signing their rookie class by agreeing today to a four-year deal with defensive tackle Brian Price.

Price becomes the highest draft pick to sign as there remains a logjam of unsigned first- and second-round picks across the league. Drafted 35th overall, Price was the third pick in the second round.

In statement released by the team, Price said, "I'm glad my agent got the deal done, so now I can concentrate on having a great training camp. I'm looking forward to contributing to the Buccaneers' dominant defensive tradition."

To make room on the roster, the Bucs released guard Lee Grimes.

Price has some work to do. He missed much of the offseason because of school commitments and because of a hamstring injury that restricted him considerably. He will likely jump right into the rotation with second-year lineman Roy Miller, with one of them joining the starting lineup next to first-round pick Gerald McCoy.

The Bucs now have three unsigned draft picks remaining: McCoy, second-round pick Arrelious Benn and seventh-rounder Cody Grimm. The signing of Grimm is likely simply a matter of time, but Benn and McCoy figure to take longer. Price became just the second player picked in the second round to sign as negotiations for high picks continue to drag.

Many are predicting more holdouts than usual for first-round picks. Because he was picked third overall, McCoy's deal is expected to be massive with a great deal of guaranteed money, something that always complicates matters. McCoy's representatives and the Bucs are not known to have started any substantive talks yet, but expect things to begin heating up in the next several days.

About the blog

Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans: Keep up with your team news on Bucs Beat, our blog for all things Bucs. Tampa Bay Times sports writers keep you posted on the latest Bucs news, and you can weigh in with your own thoughts.